Iron cord support and retriever



A ril 1, 1952 F, D, CLARK 2,590,936

IRON CORD SUPPORT AND RETRIEVER Filed May 31, 1946 ans is IN EN T OR FRANK DCLARK.

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention pertains to a device adapted to be detachably mounted on an ironing board for supporting the electric cord attached to an iron in such a manner that the cord will be at all times supported in a convenient position, and in such a manner that it "will not interfere with the ironing operation, and at the same time hold the cord so that it will not be excessively flexed orbent near the point of attachment with the iron as the'ironing operation takes place.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive cord support and retriever, which may be easily and quickly attached to or removed from the ironing board and when so attached, provide means whereby the cord will be held at a convenient elevation so that it will not drag on the floor during the ironing operation. I

A further object of my invention is to provide a cord support adapted to hold the cord at such position as to permit free movement of the iron to which it is attached and at the same time maintain substantially a uniform tension on the cord, with the cord held at such an angle that excessive bending of the cord at its point of "attachment with the iron is eliminated.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a support for iron cords employing an upright flexible reed for supporting and retrieving the cord, an improved bumper bar, and means for pivotally supporting the bumper bar and reed to permitthe reed and bar to be folded to a horizontal position adjacent to the ironing board.

My invention consists in theconstruction, ar-

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-51) Figure 6 is a perspective view of the base and the lower end of the bumper.

' I have used the reference numeral ID to indicate an ironing board of ordinary construction supported by legs I I. I2 indicates a wall outlet for, receiving a plug l3 mounted on the lower end of the iron cord I4 having its other end connected to an electric iron l5.

My improved cord support comprises a base [6 adapted to be secured to the ironing board by means of a clamp H, the base being preferably secured to the back edge of the right end of the board as illustrated in Figure l. The clamp I1 is secured to the base by a rivet 18. Each side of one end of the base l6 is formed with upturned portions l9 having their upper ends bentover to form downwardly extending portions 20 to form pivot ways 2|. The central portion of said end of the base is bent upwardly to form a latch bar 22 having a notch 23 in its upper end. Said upper edge is bevelled downwardly and outwardly as clearly illustrated.

Pivotally supported between the member I9 I have provided what I shall term a bumper bar 24 having one end mounted to the base by a pivot 25 slidably supported in the ways 2| to permit vertical movement of the bars 24 when in a vertical position. The bumper bar 24 is provided with a latch pin 26 adapted'to enter rangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out-in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ironing board Figure 4 is an end elevation of Figure 2, the

lower end of the clamp being broken away;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5: of Figure 3 with the bumper bar and the ("55 reed shown in a folded position;

the notch 23 for locking the bumper bar in an upright position.

Mounted adjacent to the forward face 21 of the bar 24 I have provided what I shall term a reed 28 which is in the form of a flat spring substantially of uniform flexibility through its entire length. The reed is of a height of about one-half of the maximum length of the desired stroke of the iron l5 and is fixed in position by folding the lower end of the bar 24 around the pivot 25 to form an upwardly extending portion 29. The lower end of the reed 28 is clamped between the portion 29 and the lower end of the" bar 24 by a rivet 30 and the latch 26. The bar 24 is also provided with bumper pads 3| formed of felt or some similar material and provides means for absorbing the shock of the reed if it returns rapidly to an upright position.

The upper end of the reed terminates some In the practical operation of my improved cord and support I first clamp the base 16 to the back edge of the right end of the board presumptively with the bar 24 at its horizontal inoperative position adjacent to the board ID; the bar 24 and the reed 28 are moved to their operative position by first grasping the pivoted end of the bar and elevating the pivot 25 in the ways 2!, and then swinging the free end of the bar to an upright position-againstthe member22. The bar 24 is then moved downwardly permitting the latch 26 to enter the notch 23 to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cord l4 may then be attached by the hook 33. Thesleeve35 should be so positioned on the cord that the end 36 is of a length substantially equal "to the distancefrom the iron l to the cord 34 so that the lowerend of the portion 36 maintains a position in alignment with the plug 31, the portion 36 always maintaining alignmentuat all times during the ironing operation.

The cord portion 39 is preferably placed in the hook 38 -so that it vwill tend to hang downwardly and toward the right from. its point of, attachment with the reed 28 so as to hold the upper end of the reed towardthe bumper bar 24 to. positively hold the reedagainst the bumper pads at such times as when the iron is, positioned near the base 16 and thereby maintain thecord. portion 36 in its proper aligned position .with the plug 31.

The resiliency of the reed 28 should be such that the weight of the'cord willbe supported with a slight tension on the cord portion 36 regardless of the operative position of the iron and yet so light that an'operator will hardly notice pull on the cord'during the ironing. operation.

-W hen the proper height of the reed and the length of the cordportion 36 are maintained,

together with the proper proportioning the weight of the cord and the tension of the reed, the free end of the reed will never bebent to such position that it will assume an are 'much greater than ninety degreessothat the cord portion 336 will always besupported inan upwardly. and rear- -wardlyinclined position as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. By forming the reed of flat, thin and resilient material, the free end of the reed will always swing in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the ironing board, assuming of course that the side faces of the reed are mounted transversely of said longitudinal axis.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a support and retrieverfor ironing boards of I claim:

1. A support and retriever for ironing cords, comprising, a base having an upright support, a bumper bar having one end pivoted to said base and adapted to swing from an upright operative position to a substantially horizontal inoperative position, means for locking the bumper bar to said upright support, a flexible and resilient reed adjacent to and parallel with said bar having one end fixed to they forward face of: the pivoted end of said bar, the forward face of said bar having bumper pads fixed thereto to receive the impact of the rear face of the reed as it swings from a forwardly inclined position to an upright position,

and-means for attaching the intermediate portion of said cord to the free end of said reed.

2. A support and retriever for ironing cords, comprising, a base having vertical pivot guides and an upright support having a notch in its upper end, a bumper bar having a pivot at one end and mounted, insaid guides, the free end of said barbeing adapted to swing froma horizontal inoperativeposition toan upright operativeposition adjacent to said upright, a, headedstud mounted in said bar. adapted to enter said notch after the .bar has been raised to. itsupper-upright position and then lowered, a flexible and resilient reed. having one end fixed to the pivoted. end-of said bar :and means for attaching the intermediate portion of-said'cord tothe free end of said reed.

3. A support andretriever for-ironingcords comprising, a base having an upright support, anupright and stiff bumper bar having one-end pivoted to said base and adapted to swing from an upright operative position to a substantially horizontal inoperative positiommeans for locking T bar normally engaging the reed near its upper end to absorb the free oscillations. of said reed and means for attaching an ironing cord to the free end of said reed.

FRANK D. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferencesare of record infthe ifile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,532,536 Kress Apr. 7, 1925 2,047,060 Craig July 7, 1936 2,125,188 Lieberman July 26,1938 2,247,551 Halsey July 1,,1941 2,356,979 .Delp Aug... 29, 1944 2,462,464 Brier et al -Feb. 22, 1949 

